DRUNKEN fights, a road traffic collision and an attempted suicide were all part of Mayor of Worcester Gareth Jones' night treading the thin blue line.

Coun Jones donned a high visibility police jacket and spent a 10pm to 7am shift with PC Marc Edwards and PC Sarah Wells.

Within an eight-hour shift Coun Jones witnessed a man threatening passers-by with a knife, a fight at a taxi rank and a man threatening to jump off Worcester Bridge as well as fights. He was also verbally abused.

"An eye-opener it certainly was," said Coun Jones.

"I had respect for the police before, but now I know just what it is they're facing every time they go out. They've gone up several notches in my estimation.

"The officers on the front line just don't know what they're going to confront next, and if what I saw amounts to an ordinary night, God knows how they manage at all."

Coun Jones said he thought people from outside the city caused many of the incidents and when it came to anti-social behaviour women were "just as bad as the men."

He was also shocked at the amount of rubbish dumped on the city streets during the small hours of last Saturday.

Vulnerable

"There were times that I felt threatened and not a little vulnerable, but as far as the citizens of Worcester are concerned, they can take heart in the quality and dedication of the officers on the front line," he said.

"Certainly the two officers I was with impressed me with their professionalism, and I went away regarding them in a completely new light.

"It's all very well for me as a councillor to shout-off about the things that concern most people - like insufficient officers on the streets and a lack of police presence when your shed or garage has been broken into, like mine was recently.

"But I thought how unfair it would be if I hadn't seen it from both sides. As a result I'm really glad I went out on patrol and consequently my admiration for the police has doubled."